National Republican., 1887-01-26


tory was full Of records OF great deeds by
women. They had ruled Kingdoms aud
commanded armies. They had exalted
state craft and shone In literature. Rising
above their environments, and breaking the
sbaokles imposed upon them by custom,
prejudice. and tyranny, they had stood,
eide by side, with men on the fields Of arts
and sciences.
The stage Of rldicule of the movement
was past. This resolution might not pass;
but the time was not far distant when, In
every state and territory, women would be
admitted to an equal voice In the govern
ment--whether the federal constitution be
amended or not. No measure involving
such radical changes in society had made
such great progress as the woman's suffrage
movement since the first convention In
favor of 1t was held in lS4S at Seneca Falls,
N. Y.
Mr.. Eustis inquired Of Mr.. Dolph whether
he did not think, II woman had the right Of
suffrage, she ought also to be required to
serve on juries.
Mr.. Dolph said that that did not neces-
sarily follow. There was no connection be.
tween jury service and right Of suffrage.
But 10 Washington territory where women
had the right OF suffrage, they also served
on iuries and to the great satisfaction OF
judges and lawyers.
Mr.. Vest spoke in opposition TO the
women's suffrage resolution. II this gov.
eminent, he said (the dream OF philan-
thropists and patriots), were ever destroyed
II would be through injudlcious, immature,
or corrupt suffrage. 1t was not on the
sparse)y.settled prairies Of the west that an
ultimate test OF the merit Of woman sut-
frage could be had. Suffrage there re-
NAMED pure lin the nature of things),
when it was corrupted everywhere else.
The danger from suffrage was In the cities,
In those masses Of population to which
civilization tended everywhere. Did the
senator from New Hampshire tMr. Blair),
who last session shocked the Senate with
his statement as to illiteracy In the south,
propose to give suffrage to the colored
women Of the south?
The great danger to. day was in emo
tional suffrage, In excitable suffrage. Wo-
men were essentially emotional In their
nature. He would not degrade woman by
giving her the right Of suffrage which was
not natural right, but one to be deter
mined by expediency. and policy. He sent
to the secretary's desk and had read a
printed petition with many signatures,
about oDe-tbird OF them those Of clergy
men) demonstrating against the extension Of
suffrage to women. Also letter from
Mis- Clara T. Leonard, Of Massachusetts,,
presenting arguments against woman suf-
frage.
Mr.. Hoar remarked that Mrs. Leonard
herself was the strongest refutation of her
argument. She had been herself exercising
for years the most important public func-
tions In the commonwealth Of Massachu-
setts as member Of the board OF lunacy
and charity, and when the governor Of
that commonwealth brought horrible &C.
cusation against the hospital OF Tewksbury
the word of Mrs. Leonard had put down
the charges of that distinguished governor,
and they had sunk in merited obscurity
and ignominy. Mrs. Leonard's mistake
was not In misunderstanding the nature OF
either man or woman, but In mlsunder-
standing the nature Of politics.
Mr.. Vest said that Mrs. Leonard's judg-
ment of woman was worth that of conti-
nent Of men. II Mrs. Leonard had been an
ofllceholder and voter her word would not
bave had the effect described by the senator.
Not single township would have believed
her.
Mr.. Hoar. She was an ofliceholder.
Mr.. Vest. But what sort OF an office
holder? An Office to which she was dele
gated by God himself. A ministering angel
to the sick and insane. Is that the Office to
which the suffrage women OF this country
asked to be admitted? Is It to be the direc.
tress OF hospital, the presidentess OF q
board of directors Of an eleemosynary In
stitutioD, that these women suffragists de-.
sire? Oh, no! they want to be Presidents,
and senators, and members of the House OF
Representatives, and (God save the mark!)
ministerial and executive of1icers-sheriffs,
constables, and marshals. would not give
one murmur Of my grandmother or mother
for all the arguments that could be piled
"Pelion upon Ossa" In favor Of this political
| monstrosity.
Mr.. Blair made an argument in favor Of
the resolution. The real question for the
Senate was, not whether It favored woman
T..a l.,N A.
| submit the question to the legislatures OF
the several states. He presented the petit
tlon of the Womens Christian Temperance
| Union, and read several letters In favor of
| the amendment. The subject, he said, was
one which concerned half the citizens of
the United States. 1t concerned the con-
dition of the whole human race. He be-
| lieved that in the agitation Of this question
| lay the fate OF republican government, and
in that Of republican government lay the
fate Of mankind.
Mr.. Hoar replied to Mr.. Vest, and twitted
him with the fact that while he (Vest) fur
Dished gusb, and emotion, and eloquence
| for the speech which he had made, the argu.
| ments had been furnished by two women,
Mrs. Leonard and Mrs. Whitney. 1t did
not seem so absolutely ridiculous that these
ladies, or others, should have seats In the
| Senate to make arguments Of thier own.
The vote was then taken on the resolu-
tion, and twas rejected--yeas IS, nays 81
as follows:
YEAs-Mcssrs. Blair, Bowen, Cheney, Couger,
Cnllom,, Dolph, Farwell, IIoar, Manderson,
Mitchell Of Oregon. Mitchell of Pennsylvania
Palmer, Plat, Sherman, Teller, and Wilson OF
| Iowa-16.
NAYS Messrs. Beck, Berry, Blackburn
| Brown, Call, Cockrell, Coke, .Colquitt, Eustls
| Evarts, George, Gray, Hampton, Harris, Haw-
| ley, Ingalls,, Jones of Nevada, Mcmillan, Nc.
| Pherson, Malone, Morgan. Morrill,, Payne
Vance, Vance Vest, Waithaii &hitthorne, Williams Williams
and Wilson of Maryland-3i.
Pairs were announced between Messrs
| Chace and Ransom, Dawes and Maxey
German and Frye, Stanford and Camden
Miller and Kenna, Butler and Cameron
and Jones, OF Arkansas, and Harrison.
| Mr.. Plumb was absent when the vote wal
taken, but afterwards said he would have
voted aye.
| On motion OF Mr.. Malone, a number OF
bills making appropriations for public
buildings were taken from the calendar and
| passed.
Mr.. Beck gave notice that he will to-day
call up the railroad attorneys bill.
The Senate then (at 5:40) adjourned.
THE HOUSE.
Mr.. Turner, Of Georgia, called up the
| Rhode Island contested election case OF